


I never told you what I do for a living

by ahogeboy



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Talentswap (Dangan Ronpa), Assassins & Hitmen, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-22 16:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14312895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahogeboy/pseuds/ahogeboy
Summary: Makoto Naegi has a secret- a dangerous secret- and with the killing game in progress, it'd be in his best interest to keep it to himself. But someone was bound to find out eventually.[Rewrite of Bloodstained!]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! You may have read my previous version of this, a fanfiction titled Bloodstained. I enjoyed writing it a lot, and it seemed a lot of you liked it, so I was going to continue it- But my writing has improved and changed quite a bit, so I decided to rewrite it so my old writing style wouldn't bother me anymore or prevent any new readers from starting it. Hopefully I can provide a higher quality of writing, along with longer chapters and more frequent updates! Thank you all for your support, and I hope you'll enjoy reading this!

Makoto's eyes scanned over the stack of cash Monokuma had presented to the surviving students, his expression one of deep thought as he argued with himself in his head. His job- the one that got him into Hopes Peak Academy in the first place- put him in a similar situation on quite the regular basis. Take someone's life and earn more money than any normal job could pay you, risk being caught and put to death... Or simply walk away. Although in this case the circumstances were a bit more dire, being trapped in a game of "mutual killing" and all... It wasn't like he could just ignore the request and go back to his ordinary life. The longer he stayed here, the more likely it was that he would be the victim. He was confident in his abilities, both to kill and to seem innocent, however one thing was holding him back: The rest of the students. They would all be executed if he got away with it, right? He'd made a few friends within this group, so to see them all die because of him... Right, what is he thinking? It would be better to just wait until the police get here and get them out of this awful "school". It wasn't worth it. He had plenty of money from his previous jobs, anyways...

Standing a couple feet away, Byakuya Togami took notice of that look of contemplation on the brunettes face. It was odd, considering he had never reacted this way to any of the other motives- He never seemed to even consider the other motives, so the way he was looking the money up and down seemed so out of character for him. Was he really considering murder? It was hard for him to believe that- In the short time he had known Naegi, he had always seemed too soft-hearted and... Kind to do such a thing. Then again, being so far above him in terms of status (and in Byakuya's mind, worth), he had never spoken much to him. It was entirely possible there was a different side to him, a side that valued money over the lives of others. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Monokuma dismissed them, and with a sigh he made his way back towards the library. He had taken quite some interest in the files kept within the archives, even aside from the case of Genocider Syo there were many other case files kept tucked away in that dim room that he had yet to look into.

He steps into the archives once more, eyes flicking over the various folders until he settles upon one, pulling it out and reading the title. There were quite a few names for this particular case, but the most commonly used one was 'Hope Murders'. It was certainly a strange title, however that only piqued the heirs interest as he brought it to a table in the library, sitting down and beginning to read the report. A brief summary was on the first page, describing a series of rather suspicious murders. All the victims had someone in their lives who would want them dead- an angry ex who had been cheated on, disgruntled employees of their corrupt business, the reasons varied but most were the typical motives- However there was nothing else tying said people to the crime. Even more interesting was the notes left at each crime scene; no two were exactly the same, however all of them contained two similarities: a line referring to this as 'work', or a 'job', and a message to the family of victim to 'not lose hope', earning the murders their name. Every note has been written with different handwriting, however the investigators believe this is just a tactic the sole killer is using to evade capture. Along with the notion of this being 'work' for the killer, most who have looked into the case believe that rather than simply being a serial killer, they're a hitman or assassin of sorts. 

An interesting case indeed, one that was never officially solved. Looking into the other contents of the folder, there were several photographs included. Crime scenes- notably less gruesome than the work of Syo- and even some pictures taken from security cameras of suspicious people, although each and every one looked different. Different hair color and length, different heights, different genders, even different eye colors... The only thing they really had in common in terms of appearance was that they were Japanese, but considering these all took place in Japan, that wasn't at all helpful to narrowing down suspects. 'Some theorize that these are all disguises the killer used on the night of the murders', the report read. They certainly seemed to put a lot of effort into their costumes, whoever this murderer was.

Byakuya hadn't been fazed by the photos at all up until now, however what he saw next took him by complete surprise- Not because it was gorey, in fact there wasn't any blood in the picture at all- but because upon seeing it he was sure he recognized who it was. It was dark, and the image had been taken from a security camera so the quality wasn't great, however he recognized that hoodie. The hoodie he'd only ever seen Makoto Naegi wear. Green and red, that unique gas mask symbol so clearly visible as the figure had their hood pulled up. He wasn't the type to jump to conclusions, it would be foolish to make such an assumption based solely on clothes, but... After seeing Makoto eyeing the money like that earlier today in the gym, he had a feeling in his gut that he was hiding something. If what he was beginning to think was true, that would mean he was a very dangerous person, especially with the money as a motive- It didn't help that Byakuya was sure he had gotten on his bad side. If he was going to kill anyone, he wouldn't be surprised if he was his first choice, he at least got along with everyone else... He sighs as he tries to collect his thoughts, closing the folder after finding nothing that could for sure disprove it was the 'luckster'. For his own good, he had to confront him about this, he had to be careful... 

\---

Makoto was about to go back to his room and retire for the night, as it wouldn't be long before the nighttime announcement would sound, however by the time he got to the hall with the students personal rooms, there was someone leaning against his door, waiting for him. What was Togami doing here? They had never been on very good terms, the blonde just rubbed him the wrong way with all his rude and degrading comments, to be honest. Still, he tried to avoid conflict as much as possible, so he decided to be polite to him as usual rather than ask him what he was doing and to get out of the way.

"Oh, hey Togami." He greets him, awkward smile on his face. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Naegi, come to my room. There's something I need to talk to you about. In private." His voice is stern, it's more of a command than a request. Typical.

"Uh... Sure?" The brunette reluctantly agrees, the whole situation seeming suspicious. Togami rarely wanted to talk to him- The only time he had ever shown interest in him was when he investigated with him when Chihiro was murdered, and even that was just a game to him; simply entertainment. So to invite him into his room was... Weird, to say the least. Still, if something goes wrong- if Byakuya attempts to murder him- he's sure he's skilled enough to escape, not to mention the pocket knife he always keeps tucked away in his pocket. He could handle this; he's done more difficult things.

He follows the heir to his room, Makoto entering first before Togami closes the door behind them. He walks over to the nightstand, taking a thick folder out of one of the drawers before moving back in front of the door. The 'luckster' could tell something was going on- The way he was blocking the door to prevent him from running away was a telltale sign. What was in that folder...? "So... What did you want to talk about? Did something happen?"

"Tell me, Naegi, is there something you'd like to confess?" Byakuya asks, staring at Naegi intensely, as if trying to read his every move.

"No? I don't know what you're talking about, what would I have to confess?" Makoto knows something is seriously wrong here, but he manages to keep up his calm facade. That folder... For a moment his mind drifted to the possibility of it containing his information, who he really was, but he quickly dismissed it. There was no way he could've gotten hold of something as confidential as that. The school even gave him a cover-up talent just so nobody would find out, so he couldn't have, right?

"That's interesting. Would you care to explain this?" The heir opens the folder, specifically pulling out the blurry image of a suspicious figure in a green and red hoodie- Makoto's heart feels like it's dropped into his stomach. That was him. He knew it. He wasn't sure where he had gotten that, but this was an even worse situation that he'd imagined he'd get into. Byakuya Togami, of all people, had the dirt on him. This couldn't have gone any worse-! But he couldn't give up now, he had to act like he was completely innocent. 

"... What are you trying to say, Togami? I know that's a murder case from the archives... Are you implying I've killed someone before? That's ridiculous! Just because they wear the same hoodie as me doesn't mean it was me! I know it's weird, but it's just a coincidence." His attempt to convince him haven't seemed to work, however, as Togami takes a step closer to him, still holding the photo.

"Really? Because I'm fairly certain that's a custom-made hoodie you have on. That symbol isn't a logo, I can say that with certainty seeing as I've worked with many clothing companies. If it is, it's a small business, and even then it's a nearly impossible coincidence that you bought the same hoodie at the same obscure store." He pauses for a moment, adjusting his glasses before continuing. "I'm not saying it was you. I just want you to explain why your picture is in this case file- Actually, there are a few things I'd like you to explain that are rather suspicious. While you claim to be the Super High School Level Luck, your profile on the student handbooks list your talent as 'unknown'. Also, I've noticed you don't have a problem with touching corpses during investigations, even though you claim to have never dealt with a crime scene before- You act much like Kirigiri does around corpses, in fact."

Makoto remains silent for a few moments, gritting his teeth as he tries to come up with an explanation, a convincing lie, ANYTHING that would get him to stop suspecting him... But there was nothing. He couldn't come up with a single thing to say about that, especially not with the adrenaline running through his veins and making his heart pound- It was hard to think straight under all this pressure. If Togami told everyone about his secret, his real talent, he was screwed! Nobody would trust him again, and he'd always be the first suspect for every murder afterwards... There was no way he could let that happen, not after he had just became friends and gotten his classmates to actually trust him. In a split second decision, he knocks the heir off his feet, using his surprise to his advantage and snatching the folder out of his hands before he could react, turning off the lights as he rushes to the door. He almost panics when his blazer gets caught on the door as it closes, however rather than staying there trying to get it uncaught and risk Togami catching him, he takes his blazer off as quickly as possible and runs to his room, leaving it there.

He only realizes his mistake when he gets to his bedroom door- Locked. His keys were in his blazer pocket. He hadn't thought of that in the heat of the moment..! Shit! He could hear footsteps approaching him in the dark hallway as he desperately fumbled with the door handle- Until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He was done for. Togami was going to tell everyone, and-

"Naegi. Calm down." Togami's voice comes from behind, although he sounds less demanding this time. Like he's actually trying to calm him down. Makoto is frozen, heart feeling like it's going to explode out of his chest. He saw through his act, he knows what he really is... A filthy murderer. The cat's already out of the bag, if it'll just bring this whole ordeal to an end then he might as well just say it.

"... Fine, I'll confess. I'm not who I said I was. I'm not just a lucky student, I have a talent, just like the rest of you." The brunette hesitates for a moment, but there's no point in stopping now, is there? "Makoto Naegi, Super High School Level Assassin. I know this makes me look bad, especially under these circumstances, but even if you won't believe me, I'm not intending on killing anyone here, even with money as a motive... What do you plan on doing now that you know, huh? Tell everyone? Get everyone to lock me up somewhere?"

There's a long moment of tense silence between the two, before Byakuya speaks once again. "As I expected." He sighs, taking his hand off his shoulder. "No, I won't be doing either of those things. Now that you know the files are here, I'm sure you're smart enough not to attempt to murder anyone. After all, it'd be easy to convince everyone it was you after they read these."

A slight weight is lifted off his shoulders, although he's not entirely sure he can trust his words he feels a bit better. He hadn't turned against him, even after figuring out his secret... Still, he doesn't buy into Togami's explanation being the only reason he's not going to show everyone. "... Why are you just letting this go? Are you going to blackmail me with those files?"

"No, I merely think that you're an interesting factor in the killing game." That's a lie and Byakuya knows it. He'd never admit to himself that he had a certain fondness for Naegi deep down. "And perhaps an interesting person as well. I'll admit I'm interested in hearing about the life of an assassin. Anyways, we can talk more about that tomorrow- Your jacket is still by my room, so unless you plan on sleeping in the halls tonight I'd suggest you come get that."

Despite still being a bit shocked from what just happened, a slight smile formed on Makoto's lips. Maybe they weren't exactly friends, but somehow they were on better terms now than they were earlier today. It was a small glimmer of optimism in what could've been a total disaster... Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

Makoto locked his door behind him, before leaning against it and slumping to the floor. In all honesty, he was nervous for tomorrow- What if Togami was lying? What if he was shunned the moment he walked into the cafeteria the next morning? He supposed he just had to put his trust in the heir, even if that was a bit hard to do after his actions during the second murder case. To look on the bright side, it might be nice to have someone who knew who he really was; it was tiring to constantly have to lie about his true identity. He could only hope things would play out in his favor... With a sigh he stands up again, taking a moment to look around his room and make sure nothing has changed. Much like everyone else's, his room was suited for his talent: various weapons were kept well-hidden, ranging from knives to cyanide. The Mastermind must really want him to kill somebody if they gave him this much... But he wouldn't give in, there was no way he'd risk it! Resigned, he turns off the light and gets into bed for the night.

Meanwhile, Byakuya can't seem to sleep, restlessly pacing about his room. Makoto Naegi was really an assassin? It seems surreal, even with all the information he has. Previously, he wouldn't have ever thought Naegi was capable of murder- He's soft-hearted, optimistic, empathetic, he always seemed repulsed by the thought of killing another person. It was hard for even Byakuya to believe. Still, it was an interesting turn of events, to say the least. Though he wanted to get to know him a little better, he had to be careful, the assassin could very well be plotting to kill him for knowing- But the payoff would be worth the risk in the end. Having someone as skilled as Naegi on his side could prove to be useful in winning this game, especially if he considered him a... 'Friend'. That's was the reason he told himself at least, he didn't want to admit to himself that he had a soft spot for someone like that. He was the heir to the Togami corporation, he wouldn't get attached to anyone here- His only goal was to win.

Makoto woke up to the usual sound of the morning announcements, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he sat up in bed. Another nightmare... It wasn't anything unusual. He followed his usual routine of combing his hair (although it still looked like he had terrible bedhead), brushing his teeth, getting dressed, and making sure to carry something on him for self defense; anyone that didn't know him well would think he would be easy to attack, and he wasn't going to risk becoming the next victim. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to his encounter with Togami last night- It was odd to think that somebody as cold as the heir would ever show kindness to him, honestly, and even now he was hesitant to trust him at all. After what happened with Sayaka, it was hard to trust anyone at all.

To his relief, when he walked into the cafeteria that morning nothing seemed any different- His friends greeting him with a smile as he entered, and he smiled back, his anxiety subsiding as he made his way to the kitchen. So Togami was telling the truth... He supposed that solidified his trustworthiness for the time being. He made himself two pieces of toast for breakfast, usually he would eat more but the nightmare he had last night and the anxiety from worrying about his secret getting out... He didn't have much of an appetite after that. He turned his head as he heard the kitchen doors swing open behind him, seeing that Kyouko Kirigiri had entered the room. He was always wary of her, being that her investigation skills were comparable to that of a detective. Still, he wouldn't let that show.

"Ah, good morning Kirigiri!" Makoto smiles at her, placing his toast on a small plate.

She didn't give much of a response to that, silently grabbing a glass from the cupboards. He figured she just had a lot on her mind - But as he was about to leave the kitchen, she turns to him. "I heard quite the ruckus in the hallway last night." Her voice is deadpan as usual, but he can hear just a hint of suspicion coming from her. Suspicion directed towards him. "Considering that we're all supposed to stay in our rooms during the night hours, it was quite strange, wouldn't you agree?"

She must be talking about what happened last night with Togami - Just how much had she heard? Did she hear him confess? "Really? I must've already been asleep... I guess that is pretty weird, but it seems like nothing too bad could've happened, since nobody's missing." Pretending like he didn't know anything seemed to be the best course of action. After all, she wasn't directly accusing him of anything, so maybe she didn't know for sure if it was him.

"I see." Kirigiri ended the conversation with that, going back to preparing herself something to eat. Holding in a relieved sigh, Makoto exited the kitchen and went back into the cafeteria - Although before he could sit down next to his friends like he usually would, someone else grabbed his attention. It looked as if Togami had been waiting for him, speak of the devil, with a cup of coffee in hand.

"Naegi, care to join me in the library?" It sounded like more of a command than a question, though he supposed that's just how he spoke.

"Yeah, sure!" Makoto replied with a smile, before turning to say goodbye to his friends. "I'll see you guys later!"

Asahina gave him a surprised look, though it was soon replaced by a cheeky grin and a wink. It was obvious she thought this must be a romantic thing- He supposed that to everyone else, there wouldn't be any other reason for Togami to suddenly want to start hanging out with him. That was better than the truth of the matter, at least... Makoto shook his head and followed the heir out of the cafeteria, being careful not to drop his toast as they made their way to the library. It was a trip made in awkward silence, and the assassin could only assume that Togami didn't want to say anything until he knew they were alone.

The brunette set his breakfast down on a table as soon as they entered the dimly lit room, taking a bite as he watched Togami check to make sure Fukawa hadn't followed them here, even going as far as to push an extra chair in front of the door so nobody would be able to sneak in without them noticing. He must be really determined not to have anyone eavesdrop on them... He soon sat down across from him, taking a sip from his mug before Makoto finally broke the silence.

"So, uh... Why did you want me to come here with you?" He asked quietly, tilting his head to the side.

"To put it simply, you intrigue me." Byakuya set his mug down, crossing his arms over his chest. "You intrigue me. Before last night, there wasn't much to you- You were entertaining to lead around the second investigation, but that was about it. Now, however, I can't help but wonder about you." The heir would be lying if he said he didn't have a bit of a soft spot for the 'luckster' before, but he covered those feelings up as best he could, pushing him away any time the boy had tried to befriend him.

"Um... Thanks, I guess?" Makoto wasn't sure how to respond to that sort of backhanded compliment. He'd just have to get used to that kind of thing if he was going to be hanging around Togami more often... "Well, if you have any questions about me, I don't mind you asking, since you made sure we're alone and all."

"I didn't need your permission to ask questions, but I'm glad you'll cooperate. How did you become an assassin in the first place?"

Makoto had been expecting that question. How would someone like him end up with such a shady job? "Ah, it's not a very exciting story, honestly." He chuckled. "My family was running low on money, and I was beginning to worry about my sister and I's futures. With things being as they were there was no way my sister would be able to afford an education, much less both of us being able to go. Not to mention that some extra cash would really help take some stress off my parents, so... I ended up on a site for people who would pay a ton of money to have someone killed, and I mean a TON of money." He paused to take another bite of his breakfast before continuing. "My first time was a pretty clumsy job, honestly, which is why you were able to prove I'm an assassin in the first place, but I got away with it and I got the money I was promised. After that, I started building my credibility, the notes at the crime scene weren't just to bring some comfort to the family of the victim, but to make sure my client knows it was me."

"I see." Despite his short response, it was clear Togami was interested, staring Makoto down the entire time he retold his story. It wasn't the gritty, tragic backstory one might expect from an assassin, but it made sense nevertheless. "And how do you get away with it every time? The file mentions disguises."

"Yeah, that's right. I use a lot of makeup to change how my face looks, I wear wigs, sometimes I disguise myself as a girl- And I buy it all in cash so it can't be traced back to me. I also have to establish a solid alibi, just in case I'm suspected for any reason, and make sure I don't get my fingerprints or hair on anything... It's a lot of work, but it becomes a routine after a while." Makoto continued to explain as he ate his breakfast, and Byakuya intently listened to every detail.

Before they knew it an hour had passed, then two, and they had gradually drifted from talking about assassination to just general life, Makoto describing his otherwise normal life and Byakuya detailing the complicated lifestyle of a Togami Corporation heir. Their lifestyles were almost complete opposites: Naegi was middle class, Togami was richer than the assassin could possibly imagine. Naegi was close with his sister, Togami's siblings were exiled and he rarely spoke to them. Naegi had a good family relationship, Togami's relationship was strictly business. It was interesting to hear about a life so different from his own, to say the least.

"Ah, would you look at the time, it's almost lunch! I should probably get going, I don't want my friends to worry." Makoto chuckled quietly as he stood up and pushed in his chair, before smiling at the blonde. "This was actually pretty nice, Togami. We should do this again."

"I agree. I will be here at the same time tomorrow, feel free to join me." Byakuya nodded, keeping a straight face, however... He couldn't deny that his heart had skipped a beat when Naegi gave him that smile. What was wrong with him..? He quickly dismissed the feeling, watching as Naegi left the room before picking up a book and beginning to read. He wouldn't admit it, but he was already looking forward to seeing him tomorrow. He was just interesting, that's all it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been so long, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll try my best to update more often!


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